


The New Path Unfolded

by Merfilly



Series: Champion of the Force [4]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Happy Ending, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-31
Updated: 2016-03-31
Packaged: 2018-05-30 09:19:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6417820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The new school and community are being built, and our family of heroes are settling to life at last.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The New Path Unfolded

Jiné was smiling, Obi-Wan noticed, even at this distance. He had both twins, their fists tangled in his braids, small legs hooked on the powerful arms holding them up. Aayla Secura was laughing as the elder Master lifted the twins out on his arms, until his arms were parallel to the ground. Leia and Luke both squealed and laughed, while Kit Fisto smiled broadly. Behind them, the building of the school proceeded with volunteers from all over Naboo, including their former Senator Padmé Amidala, now usually known as Padmé Naberrie-Skywalker. The majority of those working on the project were Force Sensitive, and the feeling of joy was almost overwhelming.

Obi-Wan was learning that the gulf between the Jedi and those who never went for training had been wide indeed, yet this new school and the village growing up around it was offering balm on old resentments. He could see it, in how the children of the community ran between the Masters, drawing them into the games they had devised, could feel it in how his lover gave himself over to teaching anyone who asked it of him.

"Did you ever think he'd be a teacher like this, Master?" Anakin asked, dropping his arms on his shorter former Master's shoulders just to be annoying. Obi-Wan could hear and feel the chuckle that escaped his friend as Ahsoka scrambled up to help settle a beam in place, looking as young as she deserved to, instead of bitter and prematurely aged as some of his nightmares still showed him. Those nightmares were reminders of what might have happened, if Yoda had not hidden Jiné, or if Jiné had not been chosen by the Force to end the Sith's reign.

"Must you, Anakin?" Obi-Wan protested out of habit, but he could not stop watching the children and his lover. His partner, even in the eyes of the Jedi Council.

How far had things changed in the last two years. None of the Jedi that had declared themselves in a bonded relationship had been cast out, merely encouraged to spend time on Naboo, to learn how to keep duty separated from the heart. 

Padmé was actually one of the instructors in those lessons, as she'd been the one to get it fully through to Anakin, early on in their illicit affair, that he had to think of others first. She taught the reasoning, the logic of it, and Obi-Wan taught the advanced shielding techniques that sometimes became necessary, when the pain of a partner was overwhelming.

"And no. Given how badly he'd reacted to me as his Padawan, I'd thought he would never take another." Obi-Wan looked up at his own Padawan. "Which was my own arrogance, and led to those issues with you, my friend."

Anakin snorted. "We got past it, and we were always a good team in the field." The taller Jedi straightened up and watched as Jiné hugged the twins in to his body, not reacting when Luke held on too tightly to a braid even though Anakin knew how much that had to hurt. His son was forever grabbing at hair and latching on.

"To see him taking on an entire school, beginning a new path? I never would have suspected it of him," Obi-Wan said, fond and proud of his lover. "It almost makes the eight missing years worth it, save for how it damaged you and I, how it left him with anger that burns deep."

"Less of that lately, Obi-Wan. He smiles more than he broods, and Padmé says he's pleasant even to the politicians that seek her advice." Anakin smiled fatuously toward the love of his life, busy with some of the older youths at work on the building.

That made Obi-Wan shake his head and chuckle. "You are hers, so entirely, and then there is what we share, and I am his, but those two? They have something unique."

"It's wonderful though," Anakin admitted. "I would get jealous, early on, until I came to see there wasn't anything sexual at all between them. Just… friendship, as deep as ours, but without the edges."

"Hmm. The sexual… well." Obi-Wan flushed a little, eyes spotting Eirtaé in pants and a tunic, working hard on the supports.

Anakin had to laugh at that. "Is she still flirting with him?"

"They both do, her and Sabé, but Eirtaé is more persistent, more serious," Obi-Wan said. "I get so… flustered," he admitted.

"Maybe you need to offer her what Sabé and Padmé have with me?" Anakin advised.

"Anakin, must you share the details with me?"

That set the younger man to laughing, before he started down into the courtyard to help. "Think about it at least, Master. I promise you, you can't possibly regret it!"

* * *

In setting up the new village, Padmé had refused to give up a single member of her family. Because of that, they did have the largest home, directly on the small lake with its own jetty, but the understanding was for it to also serve as additional space for the village in times of need, as well as a supply point for extra foods and medicines that were harvested in the surrounding countryside.

"They want you on the planetary council," Jiné said lazily, seated on one long couch, in the center, as Obi-Wan leaned in against one shoulder and the twins both used his thigh as a pillow, mostly asleep now.

"Maybe in time, my friend," Padmé answered, laying on the other couch with her head on Anakin's lap, letting him pet her hair. Her legs were trapping Sabé at the other end of the couch, but the former handmaiden looked pleased to be there. Eirtaé was in the chair that sat near Jiné's couch, half asleep herself. "I want to be involved in this school, and stretch what you have taught me, help the ones I can."

Jiné nodded, then looked down to see Obi-Wan half-nodding with fatigue. Anakin was mostly dozing, occasionally pausing in his petting of Padmé's hair. "I think we wore everyone out today, dear friend," he added. Except Ahsoka, who had decided to go stay at Aayla and Kit's home, in hopes of more lightsaber training early in the morning. He did not envy the other couple for saying 'yes' to the Togruta.

Sabé slit one eye open. "I'm not that tired yet, Jiné." She swatted Padmé's legs off of her, and stood, stretching. "I will take the twins to bed, though. And take nursery watch tonight."

"I thought it was my turn," Padmé said, sitting up.

"Hmm, I'm skipping you," the other woman said, going to scoop up both sleepy children, smiling when they were 'assisted' and held tight to her body by the large man. "You spoil us," she said, kissing his cheek before she straightened with two limpet toddlers stretched across her arms.

"I came late to the concept of a family; indulge me," he told her, before urging Obi-Wan up. "Bed, my heart," he told the younger man, getting a grunt and motion that direction. Padmé was pulling Anakin to his feet. His conscious thought was on Sabé, though, all the way up to the nursery. He helped her gently put the children to bed, envisioning the placement from afar, and by tapping Sabé's own senses lightly. There were so many aspects of the Force that could be explored with the levels of trust they had built.

"Master?" Obi-Wan asked, noting Eirtaé had no one to help her to bed. 

"Go on, and I'll catch up." The big man lifted the other woman up, and Obi-Wan almost bit his tongue to keep remarks to himself as Eirtaé curled into that hold so trustingly.

"You could bring her to our room, so she isn't left alone all night," the younger man offered, having considered what Anakin said earlier. Jiné's eyebrow rose almost to his hairline for that. "It's not as if I'm in shape for more than sleep, and she's kind, and…." His voice tapered off, aware that Jiné was smiling at him, with something that looked like pride.

"That is kind of you, and I agree. There is no need for anyone to be alone right now," Jiné answered. Maybe, just maybe, Eirtaé would finally get past Obi-Wan's guard after all; she'd asked Jiné his opinion on the matter some years before, and he'd given his blessing, if Obi-Wan chose to cooperate.

"No, no more being alone," Obi-Wan agreed, brushing his presence down both bonds that anchored him to master and padawan alike.

* * *

Far away on Coruscant, a Master of the Force felt a peace settling in, as the final shadows shifted away from the now. The future… always in motion it was, but there would be a new guard, better suited to the changing demands the galaxy would face. The Force would be with them, always.

**Author's Note:**

> To all those who kept up with this series, thank you for the kudos and comments (and hand-holding, from my household.)
> 
> While the first part was an emotionally wrought piece for me to write, this is almost syrupy fluff, is the twins' fault. I've had the image of Luke and Leia hanging onto Qui-Gon's braided hair almost since I started writing this AU. 
> 
> If you have any questions about how things turned out for any particular characters, feel free to ask in comments!


End file.
